Just over five games are remaining for the 2025-26 season before the NCAA tournament enters its March Madness phase. The team needs to gain momentum before the knockout phase starts. The UConn Huskies dominated the Big East with an unbeaten run, while challengers UCLA and Gamecocks are right on the money for the mega matchups. Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee also looks to make a move up in the rankings.
But the side failed to cope with the offensive play of the league’s big guns, losing by 30 points to UConn and 43 points to South Carolina. Despite their heads hanging low, the team took those losses as a wake-up call and responded well in the game against the fourth-seeded Texas Longhorns.
Result? Another loss. This time by two points, though, and one ray of hope for coach Caldwell.
Coach Kim Caldwell Finds Positives From Loss Against Texas Longhorns
Defending champions UConn Huskies’ coach, Geno Auriemma, called the Texas team a tough competitor in the 2025-26 season. Such praise from the most decorated coach in the NCAAW’s history highlights the growth of the franchise and also the depth of the lineup.
While the Tennessee Volunteers had their issues in the season with a dip in shooting efficiency and defensive lapses at key moments, the Longhorns were the favourites to win the game. But a 65-63 scoreline was more of an enervating loss for the side who is looking to enter March with some momentum behind them.
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“We had that one little meltdown there, and we called a timeout, and we had some leadership, and they didn’t hang their heads, they moved on from it, and, I think, that’s a giant step forward,” Coach Kim Caldwell told the media.
Talaysia Cooper shone with an offensive exhibition while the whole team controlled possession well, giving away fewer turnovers. Though the loss won’t help them climb up the standings, it will boost their morale in the remaining five regular-season games. Coach Dawn Satle also had a success mantra for Tennessee, which seemed to be working for them at the moment.
Coach Dawn Staley With Advice To Kim Caldwell
One of the shocking and disturbing losses for the Tennessee side was against the Gamecocks. Frustrated Coach mentioned in the post-game interview that her team lacked leadership, and it was an embarrassing loss. Coach Staley gave the young coach advice that might help her long-term in her career.
“I probably wouldn’t say it publicly. That’s one. Two, you just got to get your team to buy in, and sometimes, it’s tricking them…They know they played like ish. They know they did. Sometimes, you need to bring up what good happened,” Staley said in a press conference.
As for Coach Staley, she is celebrating her 500th win with the South Carolina side and looking ahead to her fourth championship with the ‘talented’ side in hand.